


Lonely Tea

by aoishmex



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:08:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25838551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aoishmex/pseuds/aoishmex
Summary: Luka learned years ago that his master had a certain sense of wanderlust. He knew Asra would not be gone long, but he was always gone long enough for Luka to miss him to a point it was almost unbearable. But, somehow, he always knew Asra would come back.
Relationships: Apprentice/Asra (The Arcana)
Kudos: 7





	Lonely Tea

Luka placed a small bundle of food in Asra’s hand. “How long will you be gone?” he asked. 

Always the same question.

“Not long,” Asra promised with his usual smile.

Always the same answer.

And yet no answer at all.

The magician stuffed the bundle into his bag among the rest of his belongings. The only item Luka was aware of was Asra’s tarot deck. “Maybe the baker will be selling pumpkin bread again when I come back. We should get some,” the magician suggested as if the idea would placate the other.

“Sure,” Luka agreed with a smile that hid his disappointment. He knew Asra needed to wander and he didn’t want to burden him by being selfish.

“I’m leaving Faust with you. She missed you last time.” Asra extended his arm. The little snake around his torso moved easily from his shoulder to Luka’s own arm. She wrapped around Luka’s bicep and stretched herself up to smile at him. Luka smiled back. Having Faust near was like having a piece of Asra with him. “If anything goes wrong she’ll let me know. I’ll come right away.”

_ ‘Tell Asra!’ _ the snake repeated in affirmation.

“I know,” Luka said.

Asra pulled him into a hug. He ran his fingers briefly through the man’s bright blue hair. “Be safe while I’m gone, okay? Promise me.” His voice was soft with an unspoken concern. Luka knew it ran deeper than Asra let on. But he knew delving into that fear would get him no answers. Always the same question.

Luka held him back, giving his body a gentle squeeze. “I promise.” Always the same answer. Luka pulled away before Asra could. He picked up a flask off the counter and held it out to Asra. “Be careful.”

Asra took the flask. The smell of his favorite tea wafted to his nose. “I will,” he said, waved to Luka and Faust, and disappeared through the shop door.

Luka’s shoulders slumped with a heavy sigh. The quiet of the shop unnerved him. He looked at the snake on his arm. “You know what this place needs? Flowers. Big ones. In every nook. What do you say?”

_ ‘Flowers!!’ _ Faust agreed enthusiastically. It rubbed off on Luka some and he found his mood elevating enough for a trip to the florist.

_ ‘Asra soon!’ _

Luka’s head snapped up from the potion he was completing for a customer. “Really?”

_ ‘Soon!’  _ Faust repeated.

“Then we’d better finish work for the day and get ready for him, don’t you think?”

The potion was finished and delivered within the hour. Fresh pumpkin bread was purchased from the bakery and fresh flowers from the florist. Luka closed the shop for the remainder of the day so he could clean. The living area above the shop was ready by midday. Luka looked around the space, proud of his work, his mood rising with excitement that Asra would be back soon. He looked at the small dining table situated against the window. “Let’s make some tea,” he said to the snake on his arm.

_ ‘Tea!’ _

“What kind?” Luka asked, though he knew the answer already.

_ ‘Asra tea!’ _

Luka giggled as he reached for the jar of lapsang souchong tea leaves. Soon he and Faust were seated at the dining nook, a steaming cup of tea and a pot full of more waiting on the table. Luka sipped at his own cup as he anxiously waited. But the sun set and darkness fell, and still there was no sign of Asra. Luka dressed himself for bed. He set Faust in a small wicker basket filled with a soft cushion and a thick piece of cloth for a blanket. He placed a couple flower blossoms in there with her. Then he set a cup of water beside her bed, using his magic to make it just cold enough to stay fresh through the night.

_ ‘Asra soon…’ _ the snake said, as if she were confused as to why Luka was going to sleep already.

“I don’t think so, Faust,” he said softly, voice thick with disappointment, and turned away to crawl into bed. Yes; he had learned long ago Asra would come back. What he needed to learn was not to get his hopes up.

Asra crept quietly into the apartment, making sure not to make too much noise as he walked up the stairs. Once inside he used the moonlight and glow from the fireplace to see his way around. He hung his bag on the door and set the empty thermos in the kitchen sink. His eyes landed on the dining table. When he got closer he saw the abandoned tea cup, still full of tea that had long gone cold. Asra’s brow creased with regret. The magician made his way to the only bed in the building. Luka was curled into a ball, hugging one of the pillows against him as he slept. Asra pulled it gently out of his arms back into its place. He lie down behind Luka before taking him by the shoulder to turn him around.

Luka stirred awake, his eyes opening just as Asra had rolled him onto his back. The apprentice stared at him sleepily for a few moments. Without a word he rolled onto his other side to face Asra. Their arms wrapped around each other naturally, comfortably, instinctively. “Welcome back…” Luka greeted him, voice still thick with sleep.

“I’m home,” Asra returned the greeting. He paused. “I’m sorry for being gone so long.” Luka simply hummed into his chest. Asra’s arms tightened around him. “I missed you, Luka.”

“I missed you, too, Asra…”

Asra wished he didn’t need to leave Luka at all. He wished expressing his feelings wasn’t so harmful to him. But he was scared to repeat his mistakes, and hurt Luka in turn. Asra could never tell him, and so he had to leave to keep his feelings under control. But seeing Luka after coming back, and being in his arms again, brought them back full force every time. He tightened his arms around Luka’s sleeping form.  _ ‘I love you.’ _


End file.
